Not every American has the same god... but we do ALL have the same constitution. I think they should all say, and practice, the motto of "To SERVE and PROTECT"
Ramon Zarat - 8 years ago
AMERICAN CONSTITUTION:
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
------------------------------------------
Separation of church and state explained for those who STILL don't know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States
-----------------------------------------
It's crystal clear that ANY publicly funded institution, including police, should remain entirely independent when it comes to religious affiliation. Plastering police cars paid by the taxes of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Agnostics, Atheist, Secular humanists, Satanists AND Christians, but ONLY represent the Christian god, is 100% illegal.
You must allow ALL gods on every cars to be represented *OR* no god at all. I want Baphomet, our dark lord, on every police car *NOW*. Either that, or remove "In god we trust". You CAN NOT have it both ways.
Jennifer Bryant - 8 years ago
Megamoyer you're he one that hasn't read the US constitution! Lol...Seperaton of church and state isn't in the constitution!! Did you really just says that?? Wow! It was only mentioned in a Danbury Letter to the Baptists....please READ THE US CONSTITUTION DUDE! How embarrassing that must be for you...IM LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!
Chris - 8 years ago
Considering God kills when people don't listen to him and he has a hissy fit (see the great flood and Noah's Ark) is it right to trust in him?
To be honest having that on a car is violating everyone's right and in doing that can open a whole can of worms that the city cannot afford. If I were inclined to be arrested I would immediately argue that my arrest and the investigation as invalid as the words on the car violate my rights. I could then drag that argument out for a few years and as that then violates my right to a speedy trial I could then argue that and drag that along for a bit as well.
Get over it, God can't be trusted nor anyone else that follows him.
Ian - 8 years ago
I see this slogan everywhere, but I can't really take it seriously. What is it supposed to mean? "In God we trust" to do what?
If people really trusted God would provide justice, there wouldn't be any need for police or courts. The fact that we have them proves that people don't trust in God for justice.
Do people trust that God will deliver criminals into the hands of the earthly justice system? If they did, there would be no need for cars to patrol. Do people trust that God will keep good citizens safe? It certainly doesn't seem like it.
As far as I can tell, this is just an empty phrase designed to annoy the rational and patronize the superstitious.
Megamoya - 8 years ago
735 voters didn't read the U.S. constitution
Kevin Stone - 8 years ago
Our government (whether federal, state or local) has no business displaying any form of religious imagery in any kind of official capacity.
The purpose of the establishment clause defined in first amendment was to ensure religious freedom by preventing government from favoring one religion over another. When the national motto "In God We Trust" was challenged legally (Aronow v. United States) the Supreme Court ruled that, although the term "God" is intrinsically religious, the phrase as a whole had devolved into a strict ceremonial capacity within government and was therefore "sufficiently secular". It meant that the phase "In God We Trust" did not relate to or endorse any particular religion. The argument seemed to make sense at the time. But in hindsight there were numerous flaws in its reasoning.
* The motto fails grammatically. The term "God" is written a proper noun in the singular form. This disenfranchises Americans who do not refer to their deity as "God" but by some other name, and Americans who worship multiple gods. This group is difficult to quantify but may consist of as many as 15 million Americans.
* The motto fails on the very argument of 'secularism' used to prevent its removal. American non-believers are disenfranchised because "God" is mentioned at all. So now we have identified approximately 54 million Americans. This group consists of approximately 50 million Americans.
* The majority of Americans (83% Christian) inevitably insist that "God" refers to their god specifically. Because this is a driving message within our culture and our politics the remainder are effectively overruled. Even though our Constitution states that "government shall not endorse" it's always a battle because our own motto gives undeserved and unfair power to the majority. And it wouldn't matter who that majority is, Christian, Muslim, Yazdâni.. whatever.. the majority would always use that to their advantage. The government is not explicitly endorsing one religion or another, true. But the careless action of allowing religious symbolism into government acts as a conveyance for majority interests overriding minority interests.
There isn't a single legitimate reason to put "In God We Trust" on patrol cars, or to keep it as our national motto. The good fight will go on and ultimately wiser minds will prevail in favor equality and genuine religious freedom for ALL Americans not just for the majority.
Daniel Thompson - 8 years ago
Those against GOD will be in deep trouble when their day of judgement comes. He IS ruler of all and yet He gives them the opportunity to choose as they wish. But when they die it will be too late to say.... in God we trust, because He will not claim to know those who ignore Him in this life!
Brien Doyle - 8 years ago
Why can you not stop trying to force your religion onto everybody else? That is no different to a dictatorship as you would have under a theocracy. You are forcing all others to bow to your specific and particular religion/mythology.
We live in a democratic republic under a Constitution which by definition is supposed to defend all peoples' rights, not just the majority.
Why do you feel justified in abrogating other people's rights?
These stickers, on government vehicles, are a clear discriminatory act against me, and my family!
These stickers exclude a whole segment of American citizens from the community. They are divisive, and the offices using them consciously know that this is a divisive act, and are purposely continuing to offend the citizens in their communities.
Are these the acts of true Americans?
We fought a war of independence to stop the vagaries of dictatorships; the dictatorships of royalty, military and religion.
Ronald Tomlinson - 8 years ago
In God We Trust how can that possibly hurt anything or bother anybody.. there are many things in today's world that truly bother people of faith but for the most part they stay sound. A lesson to be learned
Chris L. - 8 years ago
I'm absolutely against it! Our nation's true motto has always been e pluribus unum ("out of many, one") which is a perfect phrase to encompass what our nation is about. In god we trust was only introduced as a national motto in the 50's as a result of the red scare. Anyone not embracing it was looked at as a communist. IGWT is completely divisive. A large amount of the population do not believe in god, or have other faiths, or just aren't sure and don't feel the need to support a phrase that doesn't reflect their beliefs. I think as a nation we are so afraid to admit we made a mistake in naming IGWT as our national motto because it will inflame christians who seem to think it is their right to push the misconception that our nation was formed on the basis of christian beliefs. That is completely untrue. We are so backwards in that we claim to have freedom of religion and separation of church and state to ensure that this freedom remains, yet we turn a blind eye to the unconstitutional use of IGWT on our currency, in our schools and city halls, and the nonchalant "requirement" of religion for our politicians. So embarrassing.
Kento - 8 years ago
The county pays for those vehicles with tax dollars. I'm not a resident of Dinwiddie, but I would definitely be writing a letter to my representative and the town government, to get it removed.
Jenny Wood - 8 years ago
It's a shame that Mr. Bonner thinks that Law Enforcement is, "Set up to do violence", when it's totally the opposite. I think he just wanted his ten minutes of fame.
Not every American has the same god... but we do ALL have the same constitution. I think they should all say, and practice, the motto of "To SERVE and PROTECT"
AMERICAN CONSTITUTION:
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
------------------------------------------
Separation of church and state explained for those who STILL don't know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States
-----------------------------------------
It's crystal clear that ANY publicly funded institution, including police, should remain entirely independent when it comes to religious affiliation. Plastering police cars paid by the taxes of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, Agnostics, Atheist, Secular humanists, Satanists AND Christians, but ONLY represent the Christian god, is 100% illegal.
You must allow ALL gods on every cars to be represented *OR* no god at all. I want Baphomet, our dark lord, on every police car *NOW*. Either that, or remove "In god we trust". You CAN NOT have it both ways.
Megamoyer you're he one that hasn't read the US constitution! Lol...Seperaton of church and state isn't in the constitution!! Did you really just says that?? Wow! It was only mentioned in a Danbury Letter to the Baptists....please READ THE US CONSTITUTION DUDE! How embarrassing that must be for you...IM LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!
Considering God kills when people don't listen to him and he has a hissy fit (see the great flood and Noah's Ark) is it right to trust in him?
To be honest having that on a car is violating everyone's right and in doing that can open a whole can of worms that the city cannot afford. If I were inclined to be arrested I would immediately argue that my arrest and the investigation as invalid as the words on the car violate my rights. I could then drag that argument out for a few years and as that then violates my right to a speedy trial I could then argue that and drag that along for a bit as well.
Get over it, God can't be trusted nor anyone else that follows him.
I see this slogan everywhere, but I can't really take it seriously. What is it supposed to mean? "In God we trust" to do what?
If people really trusted God would provide justice, there wouldn't be any need for police or courts. The fact that we have them proves that people don't trust in God for justice.
Do people trust that God will deliver criminals into the hands of the earthly justice system? If they did, there would be no need for cars to patrol. Do people trust that God will keep good citizens safe? It certainly doesn't seem like it.
As far as I can tell, this is just an empty phrase designed to annoy the rational and patronize the superstitious.
735 voters didn't read the U.S. constitution
Our government (whether federal, state or local) has no business displaying any form of religious imagery in any kind of official capacity.
The purpose of the establishment clause defined in first amendment was to ensure religious freedom by preventing government from favoring one religion over another. When the national motto "In God We Trust" was challenged legally (Aronow v. United States) the Supreme Court ruled that, although the term "God" is intrinsically religious, the phrase as a whole had devolved into a strict ceremonial capacity within government and was therefore "sufficiently secular". It meant that the phase "In God We Trust" did not relate to or endorse any particular religion. The argument seemed to make sense at the time. But in hindsight there were numerous flaws in its reasoning.
* The motto fails grammatically. The term "God" is written a proper noun in the singular form. This disenfranchises Americans who do not refer to their deity as "God" but by some other name, and Americans who worship multiple gods. This group is difficult to quantify but may consist of as many as 15 million Americans.
* The motto fails on the very argument of 'secularism' used to prevent its removal. American non-believers are disenfranchised because "God" is mentioned at all. So now we have identified approximately 54 million Americans. This group consists of approximately 50 million Americans.
* The majority of Americans (83% Christian) inevitably insist that "God" refers to their god specifically. Because this is a driving message within our culture and our politics the remainder are effectively overruled. Even though our Constitution states that "government shall not endorse" it's always a battle because our own motto gives undeserved and unfair power to the majority. And it wouldn't matter who that majority is, Christian, Muslim, Yazdâni.. whatever.. the majority would always use that to their advantage. The government is not explicitly endorsing one religion or another, true. But the careless action of allowing religious symbolism into government acts as a conveyance for majority interests overriding minority interests.
There isn't a single legitimate reason to put "In God We Trust" on patrol cars, or to keep it as our national motto. The good fight will go on and ultimately wiser minds will prevail in favor equality and genuine religious freedom for ALL Americans not just for the majority.
Those against GOD will be in deep trouble when their day of judgement comes. He IS ruler of all and yet He gives them the opportunity to choose as they wish. But when they die it will be too late to say.... in God we trust, because He will not claim to know those who ignore Him in this life!
Why can you not stop trying to force your religion onto everybody else? That is no different to a dictatorship as you would have under a theocracy. You are forcing all others to bow to your specific and particular religion/mythology.
We live in a democratic republic under a Constitution which by definition is supposed to defend all peoples' rights, not just the majority.
Why do you feel justified in abrogating other people's rights?
These stickers, on government vehicles, are a clear discriminatory act against me, and my family!
These stickers exclude a whole segment of American citizens from the community. They are divisive, and the offices using them consciously know that this is a divisive act, and are purposely continuing to offend the citizens in their communities.
Are these the acts of true Americans?
We fought a war of independence to stop the vagaries of dictatorships; the dictatorships of royalty, military and religion.
In God We Trust how can that possibly hurt anything or bother anybody.. there are many things in today's world that truly bother people of faith but for the most part they stay sound. A lesson to be learned
I'm absolutely against it! Our nation's true motto has always been e pluribus unum ("out of many, one") which is a perfect phrase to encompass what our nation is about. In god we trust was only introduced as a national motto in the 50's as a result of the red scare. Anyone not embracing it was looked at as a communist. IGWT is completely divisive. A large amount of the population do not believe in god, or have other faiths, or just aren't sure and don't feel the need to support a phrase that doesn't reflect their beliefs. I think as a nation we are so afraid to admit we made a mistake in naming IGWT as our national motto because it will inflame christians who seem to think it is their right to push the misconception that our nation was formed on the basis of christian beliefs. That is completely untrue. We are so backwards in that we claim to have freedom of religion and separation of church and state to ensure that this freedom remains, yet we turn a blind eye to the unconstitutional use of IGWT on our currency, in our schools and city halls, and the nonchalant "requirement" of religion for our politicians. So embarrassing.
The county pays for those vehicles with tax dollars. I'm not a resident of Dinwiddie, but I would definitely be writing a letter to my representative and the town government, to get it removed.
It's a shame that Mr. Bonner thinks that Law Enforcement is, "Set up to do violence", when it's totally the opposite. I think he just wanted his ten minutes of fame.